You Found Me
by LionLamb8
Summary: Bella's husband disappeared two and half years ago. What happen when she's about to move on? How will she deal with the love of her life? My first fanfic enjoy! AU/AH STRICTLY E/B
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my first fic be nice… Read and Review please.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or the characters**

Bella stood in the vast library, shutting her ears to the celebrating voices in other parts of the house. She couldn't seem to think her way out of confusion. A tangle of cobwebs in her mind, she stood there, her brown eyes staring out the window. Her dark brown hair shimmered in the dim light. The house was comfortably heated, but still she felt a chill as a shudder passed through her. Maybe it was because of the weight of the precious metal on her finger.

Her solitude was broken when the door to the library opened. Bella turned to see Jacob Black closing the door behind him. A gentle smile on his face in spite of the puzzled gleam in his eyes, which made her feel a slight pang of guilt that she had hidden in the library.

"So this is where you've snuck out to," he said as he approached her.

"Yes," Bella nodded, unaware of the sigh in her voice or how forced her smile looked.

He came closer and his hands settled lightly on her shoulders, his dark eyes looking into hers. Jacob had russet skin, his black hair stood perfectly in place. They had been good friends since childhood. Their father's were best friends, which made them friends by default. But Bella quickly pushed those thoughts aside. Burly and athletic, Jacob was much taller than her, even with her heels.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his gaze probing.

"Nothing…I was just thinking."

"That's not allowed. You think too much." His hands slid around her and Bella allowed him to embrace her, stifling at first then forcing herself to relax. His chest had become a familiar resting place for her head, used often in the last two and a half years. She closed her eyes as he kissed her temple.

"You should be out there celebrating," he told her is a mock scolding voice.

"I know," she sighed, turning away from him to stare back out the window. Jacob rested his hands on either side of her neck, gently massaging the tensed muscles there as he spoke. "Relax, Bella. You're going to freak out soon if you don't."

"I can't help it," she frowned, "I just…I don't know if I'm doing the right thing."

"Of course you are." Jacob moved backwards, turning her to face him, his face gentle and understanding. "Look, I understand your hesitation about this. I knew Edward, so I know what kind of man your husband was. And I'm not here to take his place. I even don't want you to take his ring from your finger. But I'm hoping that with a little more time and patience, you could find some room in your heart to love me."

"I do love you, Jacob," Bella stated. "You have been there all this time. I don't know how I could have survived all those months when Edward was missing, and then when we were finally notified that he's — "

Her words were silenced by his firm kiss. Then he gathered her in his arms, holding her close. His voice a comforting whisper when he spoke. "That's in the past. You should forget it. "

"I can't." She shook her head. "I keep remembering the fight I had with Edward before he left for Africa." She let out a sigh laced with anger and regret. "We always fought about such petty things, things that seem so stupid now."

"You have to stop living in the past, Bella."

"I know." She gave a small smile.

Then his mouth was seeking hers again in a warm and passionate kiss. She responded in kind. Jacob never demanded more from her that she was willing to give. And this only made him more endearing.

"I wish we hadn't told them of the engagement," she sighed into his chest when they broke apart. "You know, keep it to ourselves for a while."

It's not that she didn't love Jacob, she did. Just not the same crazy way she loved Edward. With Jacob, she felt relaxed and unguarded. She felt safe and comfortable when he's around.

"Bella," he laughed, "We can't keep our engagement from our family and friends. You know how they've got that sixth sense. And besides, they need time to adjust to the idea that you soon won't be Mrs. Edward Masen."

"I guess you're right." She offered a slight smile.

"So, c'mon, why don't we try celebrating out there?" He offered, gently urging her towards the door.

"Ok," she sighed, letting him guide her out of the room.

But before they could reach the door, it opened. And were met by Elizabeth Masen, Edward's mother.

Bella and Elizabeth were living in the same house. During the disappearance of Edward, Elizabeth had moved to live with Bella. She leaned onto Bella for support and comfort, more so when the authorities finally broke the news that they found no survivors from the plane crash.

Bella did not have the sweetest relationship with her mother-in-law, but they got along fine. Elizabeth didn't have any objections with the engagement. But she didn't voice an approval either.

"Oh, thank God, I finally found you. The guests have been asking where you both had gone." She stared at them with a tinge of disappointment. Elizabeth Masen was a typical high-class woman; she was quite particular at how to handle guests. "Now, hurry. They're setting up for a toast."

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Bella woke up, feeling the sun on her face. She had been too tired last night after the 'celebration' that she had immediately gotten off to sleep and forgot to close the curtains.

Unable to go back to sleep, she opened one eye to look at the time, 6:30. She grunted as she arose, it was too early to be waking up for a Saturday. She got dressed with a pair of jeans, white blouse and navy cotton blazer.

She cautiously made her way down the stairs, careful not to wake the other people in the house. Elizabeth and Angela, the housekeeper, were still asleep. She tiptoed out of the house. Closing the door, she listened for the click of the lock. When she heard it, she turned and made her way down the steps to the driveway where _his_ silver Volvo was parked.

She was about to hop in the car, but the ringing of the telephone inside the house startled her; it was too loud in the silence of the morning. She sprinted back to the door and frantically searched her bag for the keys. But when she finally found them the ringing had already stopped. So she hurried back to the Volvo and drove off.

She drove around the quiet business streets for a while before stopping at a local café for some doughnuts and a cup of coffee. Then she headed towards the wharf and watched the sun finish rising in the normally gloomy Seattle sky. She sat there enjoying the peacefulness of the scene.

When it was 8:00, the time she usually showed up in the office, she reached for her bag and rummaged through it for her phone. Shit, I left it in the house. So she got up and drove to the nearest payphone. She dialed the office number and waited for someone to pick up.

"Jessica? This is Mrs. Masen." Everyone in the office still called her that. "I won't be in today, but there are some notes on my desk that I want you to type."

"I've already started it," her secretary replied.

"Ok, when you're done with it, just leave the print outs on my desk. Then you can call it a day. Alright?"

"Ok. Thank you Mrs. Masen." Jessica Stanley was obviously pleased.

"See you on Monday." Bella said before hanging up.

Bella had taken over the Edward's post in the foundation. The Masens were the owner of the famous Masen Foundation. Masen Foundation gave hospitals money for research equipment and ran various charitable organizations. After the disappearance of Edward, the foundation began to wobble. And most of the capable executive staff resigned, abandoning the sinking ship. So it was by necessity that Bella took over.

She learned the hard way, by trial and many errors. Jacob, having been with the company for four years, he helped and supported her. Since then Bella had spent most of her time and energy in the office.

Today was Saturday, and only a minimum of a half-day's work was required of her. But she had to take care of an important matter that the family attorney had called her about at the start of the week. She headed back to the sports car and drove to the boat marina, where Edward's sailboat was docked.

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Stepping out of the car, she smiled at the man who hadn't changed for almost three years. "Good morning, Captain Whitlock." She greeted.

"Hey there, Ms. Masen." He rose from his seat and adjusted his hat. "You here to clean out The Lamb? It was sad to hear when your attorney told me that you had it rented out."

"Yes, I know." Her smiled faded slightly. Getting rid of the boat was like closing the final chapter about Edward in her life. "But it seemed silly to keep it tied up here, unused."

"She's a fine boat," he insisted. "You never know, maybe someday you'd want it for yourself."

Bella laughed at that. "You know I'm not much of a sailor. I need a bottle of motion sickness pills just to make it out of the harbor without getting seasick!"

"Then you sleep the whole time." He joined her laughter, shaking his head. "I'll never forget that time Edward came off the boat with you sound asleep in his arms. He told me afterwards that you didn't wake up till the next morning."

"And that was the last time he even suggested that I go sailing with him." She took the key he handed her, trying to push back the rush of memories that came to her. She had spent a lot of time in these docks, waiting for Edward's return from his sailing trips.

Bella made her way to the boat. Upon entering, memories of Edward came rushing in. She cleaned out the drawers and storage boxes. She found canned goods that were probably expired by now. Edward always had a peculiar taste in food. She cleaned out the closet. Edward had always been meticulous with his clothes. His outfits were always laid back, but he made sure that they were clean and properly pressed.

Edward had been used to good things in life, a beautiful home, excellent food and vintage wines. He had been something of a playboy when Bella had met him, with the devastating charm and dazzling crooked-grin that women surely fell for. But he was also arrogant and spoiled, brilliantly intelligent and painfully organized, he had been exciting and difficult to live with.

For the most part of the day, she was packing Edward's belongings into the Volvo. After which she went back to clean away the dusts and polishing the interior woodwork. When she was done, she took a last look, as if saying goodbye, and left. Fully exhausted, and looking forward to a warm cozy bath, she drove home.

As she came around to the street where she lived with her mother-in-law, Bella's brows furrowed as the sight of half a dozen of cars parked in front of their driveway. She recognized Jacob's VW Rabbit. She wondered if there was yet another family and friends gathering that Elizabeth failed to mention to her.

Stepping out of the her car, she slung her hand bag over her shoulder and decided that now was not a good time to bring all of the other things into the house. She quietly slipped inside, hoping to get to the shower and change without being noticed. But as she was about to run up the stairs, Jacob came out from the double doors of the living room, his handsome features strained and tensed.

"Where have you been?" His low voice was laced with desperation and anxiety. If it weren't for the celebrating voices in the living room, Bella would have thought that something bad had happened.

"At the marina," she answered.

"The marina?" he repeated in disbelief. "Jesus, I've been calling your phone and all day to find you. Why haven't I thought of the marina?"

"Sorry, I left my phone upstairs."

"What were you doing there anyway?"

"I was cleaning out The Lamb. It has been leased." She replied.

"Of all the times –"

Bella broke in sharply. "What's going on?" His attitude was so confusing that she couldn't take it anymore.

"Look, there's something I have to tell you but I don't know how to say it." Jacob said, licking his lips nervously.

"What is it?" Bella asked impatiently. His tension was becoming contagious.

"Bella," he began, his hand gripping hard on her shoulders. But he was unable to continue as a low, huskily pitched male voice interrupted.

"Jacob seems to think that you're going to go into a state of shock when you find out I'm alive." His velvet voice rang through her ears.


	2. Chapter 2

"_Jacob seems to think that you're going to go into a state of shock when you find out I'm alive." His velvet voice rang through her ears._

The floor rocked beneath Bella. She slowly turned, drawn to the voice. Then her knees went weak at the sight of the owner. If it not had been Jacob holding her up, she would have collapsed to the floor.

Was this some kind of a sick joke? She thought to herself. She stared at the figure by the living room door. His features resembled Edward, the carved cheeks and jaw, the strong chin and perfect nose. The eyes were the same illuminating green ones, but they wore a narrowed and hooded look, as if they were looking into her soul.

Then she noticed the differences. His sun burned face, giving hardness to the features that made Edward so dazzling handsome. His messy hair was the same bronze, but it was much longer than Edward had ever worn it. He was the same height as Edward, but his build was more muscled. Not that Edward had been a weakling by any means, it was just this man seemed more developed without appearing heavier.

But the way Jacob was acting diminished that thought that this was a cruel joke.

"It's true," Bella breathed. It was neither a statement nor a question, her hands unconsciously clinging onto Jacob's arm for support as she felt the cold weight of his engagement ring on her finger.

"It looks like Jacob was right," that familiar, velvet voice drawled dryly. "My return is more of a shock to you than I thought it would be," Edward observed. He shifted his gaze to Jacob. "I think she needs a glass of water."

"Right," Jacob agreed, and curved an arm around her waist. "C'mon, let's go find you a seat." And then to Edward, "Seeing you in the doorway was bound to have been like seeing a ghost. I told you we were all convinced you were dead."

As Bella sat in the living room, she became aware of the presence of close family and friends, here to celebrate Edward's return. The fleeting silence told her that they had been watching the reunion between husband and wife – or rather, the lack of it. Edward came to sit in front of her.

It was then that Bella realized that she had not so much as touched Edward, let alone joyously fallen into his arms, like everyone must have expected her to do. Her one swaying attempt had been futile, as her legs seemed to have lost their strength. And Jacob had been there, holding her in place. It would seem staged and faked if she did so now.

But deep inside her, she already knew that when the time comes, she would have to fake it because although the man in front of her was obviously Edward Masen, he did not seem like the same man she had married. He looked at her in an aloof coolness. She felt like she was looking at a total stranger.

Jacob approached, automatically sitting beside her and handing her a glass of water. When her hand faltered, Jacob's hand was immediately there to help her bring the glass to her lips. It was then that Bella had realized that Jacob hadn't told Edward of the engagement. But his actions were telling the story. And Bella was aware of Edward's eyes. Behind that façade of lazy interest, he was watching every damn detail.

When she finally found the strength, she raised a hesitant gaze to Edward. "How –" she began, "I mean, when – "

"I walked out of a village in Botswana two weeks ago," he anticipated the question and answered it.

"Two weeks ago?" That was before she had agreed to marry Jacob. "Why didn't you let... someone know?" Her right hand unconsciously moved to cover her left, hiding Edward's rings and Jacob's engagement ring.

"I had a hard time convincing the authorities that I am who I say I am. They too, believed I was dead." He finished with a cynical smile.

"The moment they believed Edward's story," Elizabeth Masen interjected, speaking for the first time, "he took the first plane out to come home." She beamed at him, obviously just happy that her son is alive and back.

"You should have called." Bella couldn't help saying it. She might have been better prepared for the new Edward Masen if she knew beforehand.

"I did." He replied plainly. And Bella remembered the telephone ringing before she left the house.

"When Edward couldn't get hold of any of you, he called me. And I came here right away to tell you and Mrs. Masen." Jacob supplied.

"Jacob was as stunned as you were, Love." He said, but everyone didn't seem to notice the lack of amusement in his voice. Bella's gaze on him wavered. It has been so long since she heard him call her 'Love,' it was only Edward who could call her any pet name and get away with it.

"So, Edward! How did you end up in the village and survive? It seems like a miracle!" Dr. Carlisle Cullen, Edward's godfather suddenly broke out. And with that, Edward began to tell the story about the crash and the events that followed, Bella listening all the way.

The small-chartered plane had developed an engine problem and they crashed in the savAngelah. When Edward came to, He found the other four people aboard dead. With a broken leg, a few fractured ribs and a gash on the forehead, he had managed to pull free of his seat belt and got out of the plane. Bella's gazed found the scar that had made a permanent crease on his forehead.

Sometime after that, Edward, who had always hired someone to do something if it required professional experience and skill, had set his own broken leg and began his journey through the savAngelah. He had fruits and whatever wild animals he could trap for food. And this was supposed to be Edward Masen who had considered hunting as a disgusting sport. Bella then had realized that Edward left a civilized man and came back part primitive.

"There's something I don't understand," Dr. Cullen frowned when Edward had finished telling his story. "Why did the authorities tell us you were dead after they'd found the wreckage? Surely they must have discovered there was a body missing," he added bluntly.

"Did you bury them, Edward?" his mother asked. "Is that why they didn't find any bodies?"

"No mother, I didn't bury them. It would have required a bulldozer to get the bodies out." Edward remarked bluntly. "But there were a lot of scavengers in the savAngelah." He added. Bella cringed at this. He sounded so cold and insensitive.

The talking came to a stop when Angela, the housekeeper appeared to announce that dinner would be ready in an hour. And with that, Bella excused herself to go freshen up before dinner.

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Bella got out of the bathroom, wrapping a towel around her and made her way to far corner of the room to her closet. When there was a click on the door she turned surprised and saw Edward walk in. Her mouth opened to yell at the intruder, then closed. He was her husband. How could she order him out of her bedroom?

Her hands tightened their hold on her towel as Edward fixed his eyes on her, like a predator would its prey. Her palms moistening in nervousness, Bella was aware of the implied intimacy of the room and her own nakedness underneath the towel.

The black cotton pants and navy button down shirt he wore gave him a cultured look, but his eyes were sending a different message. Edward closed the door, not releasing her from his pinning gaze. Her breath was caught at her throat and her heart pounded like there was no tomorrow.

"I've gone through hell to get back to you, Bella, but you can't seem to walk across the room to meet me." The accusation was made in a smooth, low tone laced with sarcastic amusement.

Her steps were stiff and her back rigid as she approached him. Stopping in front of him, she searched her mind for words that she could sincerely say.

"I'm glad you're back safely," were the ones she could offer that had a ring of truth.

Edward waited for her kiss and the muscles in her stomach contracted sharply in realization. After hesitating for a second, she forced herself on tiptoes to bring her lips against his mouth in a cool kiss. His hands spanned the back of her waist, burning through the material on her naked flesh. His light touch felt foreign, almost alien.

At her attempt to break the kiss, Edward's arms held her close, his fingers raking into her dark brown tresses to force her lips to his. Her slender body was pressed onto his. Her heartbeat skittered madly in alarm. The hungry demand of his bruising mouth asked more that Bella could give to a man who seemed more of a stranger than her husband.

Then she finally broke free. Her breathing was ragged and uneven and she avoided his eyes. "I have to get dressed." She breathed. "They're waiting downstairs." She turned and started walking back to her closet. Bella could feel his green eyes boring holes into her. Her knees felt like jell-o.

"You mean Jacob is waiting," Edward corrected with deadly softness.

"Of course, isn't Jacob there with the others?" Something in her ticked.

"I've had two and a half years of forced celibacy, Bella. How about you?" The dry accusation in his voice spun her around, fires blazing in her brown eyes. But Edward didn't give her a chance to defend herself. "How long after I disappeared before Jacob moved in?" He was now standing in front of her.

"He didn't move in!" she denied.

At that he grabbed her hand, his strong grip almost crushing the slender bones of her fingers. "Don't you call it moving in when another man's ring joins the ones I put on your finger? Did you think I wouldn't notice?" he blazed, releasing her hand in a violent gesture of disgust.

"What did you want me to say? 'Honey, I'm so glad you're alive. Oh, by the way, I'm engaged to another man.' Forgive me for having more sense than that!" She spat back.

"When he proposed to me, I thought you were dead and I was free to accept."

"So are you saying that you wish I was still dead?" he growled.

"No! I don't wish that," she denied.

"Well, now you know I'm alive. You're my wife. You're still married to me." The way he said it in such cold, concise tones, made it sound like a life sentence.

"I'm aware of that, Edward." Bella was trembling, she didn't know from what. "But this isn't the time to discuss this. Your mother is waiting downstairs and I still have to get dressed for dinner."

"Yes," he agreed after a silent pause, "now is not the time." Then he walked to the door, yanked it open and slammed it shut.

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Dinner had gone by smoothly. She sat at his left side. Edward made the appropriate comments and praises on the food. But Bella could tell that he didn't enjoy them like he used to. He made small talk to the guests and he acted normally.

After dinner, coffee was served in the living room. Edward kept Bella by his side the whole time. Jacob stood at the far side of the room, talking to some people. As Bella glanced his way, he looked up, excused himself from the conversation and walked towards them. As Jacob approached, Bella saw Edward's eyes narrowing as he spotted him coming.

"Just like old times, Edward," Jacob began, forcing a smile, "coming over to your house and –"

"Jacob," Edward interrupted calmly, "Bella has told me about your engagement." The room grew silent.

"I'm glad you know. I –" Jacob lowered his gazed searching for words.

"I don't bear ill feelings, Jacob. You've always been good friends and I'd like it to continue that way." Edward offered his hand to Jacob and he shook it.

"Naturally, the engagement is off," Edward stated with a smile that contrasted the sharp seriousness in his eyes.

"Yes," Jacob agreed with a slight smile of his own.

Bella felt a rush of anger that she could be tossed aside so readily without protest. And that she hadn't been consulted about her feelings and wishes on the matter. But she immediately berated herself. It was what she wanted. Edward was alive and she was married to him. She didn't want to divorce him to marry Jacob, so why was she freaking out?

After that confrontation about the engagement, the party became anticlimactic. And a few moments later, the guests had begun leaving.

"That's all of them," Edward announced as the last members of the guests went out the door.

"I'll go help your mother and Angela clean up," Bella started to turn away.

"There's no need," Edward caught her arm but released it quickly, "I'm sure they can handle it."

Bella didn't protest. The day had been exceptionally long. And she was physically beat as well as mentally exhausted. All she really wanted was to go to sleep, so she started for the stairs, half aware that Edward was following close behind her.

"You didn't return Jacob's ring," he stated flatly.

"No…" she raised her hand and glanced at the ring, "I must have forgotten." She was too tired to care about such a small detail.

Suddenly, Edward seized her hand and stripped the ring from her finger and placed it on her palm.

"You'll return it to him tomorrow, when he comes for Sunday brunch."

Bella didn't answer; she just turned and resumed climbing the stairs. When she reached the top, she walked towards her bedroom, the first door on the right. As she reached the door, Edward's arm reached around her to open the door. She stopped and whipped around, her expression perplexed.

"What are you doing?" She frowned.

"I'm going to bed." He raised an eyebrow as he eyed her coolly. "Where do you think I was going to sleep?"

Bella's gaze darted madly about, as if hoping for someone to come to her rescue. "I…I didn't actually think about it." She faltered. "I had gotten used to sleeping alone…" she trailed off.

His hand was at the small of her back, firmly directing her into the room. "Surely, you don't expect that to continue?"

"I…" god, she did, Bella realized. "I think it would be better…for a while." She stopped at the center of the room.

"You do?" His head tilted to the right, his green eyes meeting her wavering look.

"I do." Bella's heart quickened as Edward took off his coat and began unbuttoning his shirt.

"Edward, it's been two and a half years," she tried to reason with him.

"Tell me about it," he inserted dryly.

"I don't know you anymore. You're like a stranger to me." Her throat tightened, making her voice small. "I can't just hop into bed with – "

"Your husband?" He finished the sentence and looked at her with burning eyes. "Who else would you choose?"

The shirt was coming off exposing his tanned chest and shoulders. Bella's senses sprang in alarm as she felt the force of his desire. In an attempt to break the spell, she stiffly walked to her dresser; placing Jacobs ring in her jewel case.

"No one. That isn't what I meant." She stood in front of the dresser, hands flat on its top.

"You've become hard, Edward, a cynic," she accused, lifting her gaze to the mirror, as he came up behind her. "I can imagine what you've gone through – "

"Can you?" he cut her off bitterly. "Can you imagine how many nights I held on my sanity by holding on to the vision of a woman with beautiful brown eyes and gorgeous brown hair that smelled of strawberries?" His fingers twined themselves through her hair. "And when I finally see her again, she's clinging to the arm of her best friend." All he wanted was for her lips to kiss away those horrible memories.

"Did you even miss me, Bella?" He turned her around, yanking her towards him. "Did you even grieve?"

"When you disappeared, I was falling apart with fear. But your mother was even more of a mess. So I had to be strong and be there for her. I spent most of my time comforting her." Her eyes stung with tears that she refused to shed.

"And then the foundation started to fall apart and Jacob insisted that I had to take over. So I was forced to go in head first into another world. In the morning I was too busy trying to save the foundation and in the evening, there was your mother who needed comforting and support. The only time I had for myself was in this room. And I took sleeping pills so I could get some rest and be able to get through the next day. So, the truth is, Edward, I didn't have time to grieve."

"But you had time for Jacob," he accused, unmoved by her words and stared at her with dark eyes.

Bella flinched at that. "It started very innocently. He is my best friend. Jacob was always there. It grew from there after you were reported killed. I needed him." She explained.

"And I need you – now." He drew her inside his strong arms, flattening her against his bare chest.

Her senses rocked at the feel of his flesh beneath her hands. His warm breath hovered over her face, his musky scent enveloping her. His hand crept to her back and the zipper of her dress was undone.

"Stop it!" She struggled to keep him from sliding the dress of her shoulders.

"No!" he growled. Stopping her protests with his mouth.

Bella pushed and twisted, trying to escape. But he was too strong for her. Cruelly, Edward ravished the softness of her lips. Beneath her straining hands, she felt the flexing of his muscles. He was slowly devouring her strength, wearing her down. She tried to pound at him, but her tiny fists made little damage. Her efforts were useless.

When the pressure of his mouth eased, as he came up for air, she yanked and broke out of his arms. Gasping for air, she backed down from him. But the dresser stopped her retreat short. Edward stared her down like a cornered animal.

"Edward, don't do this," She lifted her head, her eyes pleading as she gazed into his.

In one swift motion he was again in front of her. "Stop with the mock frigidity. I remember clearly what a passionate lover you are."

Bella froze as she remembered too. Her veins jumping like beans when he drew her to his body.

"Don't destroy our marriage," she whispered her plea, "I want to love you again, Edward."

With a muffled curse, he buried his face in her hair. "Damn you! Why didn't you say that when I came home?" he muttered in a rasping sound that suggested pain. "Why did you have to wait until now?" Effortlessly, he swung her off her feet and into his arms, "I couldn't care less now. You're mine and I want you."

The lights were turned off, darkening the entire room. Edward carried her to the bed, guided by instinct. He didn't bother to pull down the covers as he laid her down the bed.

"Edward." There was an unspoken plea in the way she spoke his name, a last attempt to make him stop.

"No," he answered, the cushion sagged under his weight. "Don't ask me to wait, Love." His low voice commanded near her ear, his breath stirring her hair. "It's been too long."

A series of drugging passionate kisses made Bella's mind blank to all but the demands of her body. For a time, she glimpsed heights she had thought she would never see again. Edward sought out all the places that brought her the most pleasure, waiting until she moaned his name in final surrender.


	3. Chapter 3

Bella laid in bed, feeling cold and empty despite the fact that the covers were pulled up to her neck. She stared up at the dark ceiling. She felt like crying. Physically her desires had been satisfied by Edward's skilled knowledge. But she hadn't been lifted to the blissful heights of a spiritual union. That only happens when there was love involved. Tonight, however, was just a mutual satisfaction of sexual desires and nothing more.

Edward lay beside her, their bodies not touching. Both of his hands were raised, his head lying on them. Bella cast a sideways glance at him in the dim light. The gloomy expression on his face told her that he might also be experiencing the same reaction.

Moments later, Edward tossed aside the blanket draped across his waist and swung his feet to the floor. Bella turned her head to look at him.

"Where are you going?" she asked softly. Something in her felt that if Edward would hold her in his arms, the aching emptiness inside her might go away.

"To find a spare blanket and a hard floor. The mattress is too soft." He spoke in a low mocking voice, walking towards the door. "I'm used to firm beds. That's what comes from spending too many nights sleeping on trees and hard ground." He stopped at the door. "You have part of your wish, Bella. The bed is all yours. You can sleep alone."

As the door closed, Bella felt a chill go through her. She turned her face into her pillow, curling her body into a tight ball of pain. She forced herself to sleep to numb the ache in her heart.

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A hand woke Bella gently, but persistently shaking her arm.

"Miss Bella? Wake up, please."

She slowly opened her eyes, her lashes fluttered, slightly shaking her head to get rid of the sleepiness.

"Angela, what is it?" Bella's eyes focused on the panicked expression of their housekeeper. She dragged the covers over her as she became aware her naked state beneath. She suddenly became conscious of the condition of the room. It was a mess, her and Edward's clothes scattered all over the place.

She bit her lip, uncertain of what to say. "It's Mr. Masen."

"Edward? Why? What's wrong with Edward?" Bella shot up, propping herself up on her elbows, confusion chasing away her sleepiness.

"He's…um…sleeping…in the…um…library." Angela's face suddenly became beat red. "He has a blanket over him but…I think…he's not…um…wearing an…anything."

Bella swallowed back her smile. Angela Webber was one of those old fashioned women. Not married, the woman was probably appalled at the sight of Edward sleeping with nothing on in the library.

"I see," Bella nodded, trying very hard to keep a straight face.

"I think you should…probably be the one to wake him up. Mr. Black will be here soon. Mrs. Masen had a few things sent over yesterday for Mr. Masen. I placed them in the closet." Angela informed her.

"Ok. Thanks," Bella replied. "Oh, and Angela," she called as the housekeeper was walking towards the door, "you should probably tell Mrs. Masen to buy a very firm mattress, one that's as hard as a rock."

"Ok. I will," Angela answered.

She waited for Angela to exit the room before getting up from the bed. She got her robe and threw it over herself. Then she went over to one of the closet where a few of Edward's clothes were placed, grabbed his robe and a pair of boxers and headed downstairs.

Bella stopped at the door of the library, her hand over the knob. Her body froze in tension and her stomach twisted at the sudden attack of nervousness. Forcing herself to ignore the feeling, she turned the knob and walked into the library. Her gaze immediately focused on the floor, to the open area in front of the fireplace.

"I figured Angela would send you in," Edward's voice mocked from the side of the room.

Bella tuned in its direction and saw him leaning on one of the tall shelves filled with books, a dark red blanket wrapped around his waist. His messy locks hand been finger combed. Bella swallowed hard.

"So, you knew she came in?"

"Yes, but I decided to pretend to be sleeping to save her from embarrassment." He admitted with a mocking tone. All those months in the savannah had sharpened his senses, making him more sensitive to all kinds of sound and movement, especially during sleep.

Edward was looking at her face. Bella wasn't quite sure, but he looked as if he were searching for something. It made her uncomfortable and suddenly wished that she had put on some clothes before coming down.

"I brought your boxers and robe." She held it out to him, her hand slightly trembling but Edward didn't notice. And when he made no move to take it, Bella was forced to walk to him.

Self-cautiously, she looked away when Edward reached down to unwrap the blanket around his waist. Her face blushed as she averted his eyes.

"It's safe to look now." Edward taunted when he finished.

She flashed him an angry look then turned away. Her pulse accelerated in nervousness. His hand touched her shoulder and she moved away.

"What? I can't even touch my wife now?" He cursed under his breath.

She turned, her brown eyes wary. "I don't feel like I'm your wife, Edward," she said tightly. "I don't feel like I'm married to you."

Fires immediately blazed in his eyes. "You are married to me," he stated and walked passed her towards the door. Yanking it open, he called, "Angela! Bring some coffee into the library for me and my wife." With obvious emphasis on 'wife.'

"Jacob is coming and I still have to shower and change," Bella reminded. She didn't want to spend any more time with him.

"We still have an hour before he comes." Edward caught her arm and released it right away.

Seconds later Angela walked in. She hurriedly carried the tray of a coffee and two cups to the small table beside the leather couch. Then she left right away, clearly still embarrassed for what happened earlier. Edward walked to the tray. Lifting the coffee pot, he filled the two cups and handed one to Bella.

"Black as I remember, with no sugar."

"Yes, thank you." Bella took the cup and saucer from his hand.

Edward took a sip from his cup. "Ah…I've forgotten how good coffee can taste in the morning." He mused.

"I thought you don't forget anything." She couldn't help retorting.

"I don't forget the important things." He replied bluntly.

With a broken sigh, she wandered towards the window overlooking the massive front lawn of the house. The memory of the last time she stared out the particular window flashed in her mind.

"What are you thinking about?" Edward was close, only a few steps behind her.

"Nothing." She lied, feeling his gaze roaming over her. The last time she was here was the night of her engagement with Jacob. That was just a night ago, but to her it felt like years ago.

The cup nearly slipped from her fingers as she felt his fingers brush against her hair. Her throat constricted, shutting off her voice and her breath.

"Have I told you I like you hair this length?" His low voice was husky, sending shivers down her spine. He had noticed.

He lifted her hair aside and pushed it away from her neck. She felt his warm breath against her skin, and then she had a glimpse of the tosseled darkness of his hair in her side vision. Her heart felt as though it had been knocked sideways as his mouth sought and found the sensitive and most vulnerable spot at the base of her neck. She felt weak all over, her head tipped down and to the side to give him freer access.

The cup rattled on the saucer, but she managed to hold on to it. His arms wrapped around her waist to draw her back close to him. And for a second, she was transported to another world. Then a hand slid under the fold of her robe and the arms suddenly felt strange.

"Edward, no!" she weakly tugged at his wrist. He was too strong for her.

She gasped as his mouth moved upwards to her ear. Her body felt boneless. It was a dizzying sensation, drums pounding in her ears.

"Do you remember the way we used to make love in the mornings?" Edward murmured against her temple.

"Yes," she moaned, she remembered all too well.

With one fluid motion, Edward had taken the cup away from her. It took insignificant force to turn her around. She lifted her head, subconsciously bracing herself for the punishment of his rough kisses. Her fingers held on to his shoulders for support.

He teased her lips. "After last night, I thought I had you out of my system," he said against her lips, "but I want you more than before."

A half-sob came from her throat at the absence of any mention of love. But in the next second, she didn't care anymore, as his mouth was over hers in a sweet kiss. The kiss wasn't demanding, only a coaxing pressure for her to respond. Her lips parted willingly, surrendering to his drugging kiss. Her fingers found their way through the messiness of his bronze hair. His sweet masculine scent invaded her nose.

His mouth trailed down to explore the pulsing vein in her neck. "Did Jacob ever make you feel like this?" he challenged.

Bella caught her breath sharply in pain. She pushed out of his arms and stared at him with wounded pride. "Was that all this has been?" she rasped, a mixture of hurt and anger in her eyes. "To prove yourself better than Jacob?" Then in her mind, 'Hadn't it been anything more than that?'

"Did he?" Edward ignored her question and repeated his.

"You'll never know," she chocked her answer, her temper rising. "Maybe he made me feel better."

His breathing ragged. He took a threatening step towards her; his featured had changed with anger. Bella knew it was useless to try and run away. So she stood her ground, refusing to be threatened by him. Just then there was a knock as the door.

"Who is it?" Edward demanded, casting an angry glance as the door.

The door opened and Jacob walked in. "I'm a bit early, I know. But I had to come here as soon as I could to warn you that the press has gotten word that something's up with the foundation, but they don't know it's because you're back, yet." He stopped, looking at Edward, and sensing for the first time the heaviness in the atmosphere. "Angela said you were here. I…I didn't think you'd mind…if I joined you." He quipped hesitantly.

"Of course not." Bella was thankful of the diversion, and quickly seized the moment as an excuse to leave. "I'll leave you two to have your coffee."

"I hope you're not leaving because of me," Jacob frowned.

"No," Bella gave him a reassuring smile. "I was going upstairs anyway to get ready for brunch. I'll be down in a while." She said before she exited the room, avoiding Edward's mocking gaze.

Once she was dressed, Bella slipped Jacob's ring into the pocket of her jeans. She hoped that sometime during the day, they would have time alone, to have the chance to return it to him.

************************************************************************

But it was already late in the afternoon when she finally had the chance. The press had inevitably learned of Edward's return. And for the most part of the day, they were busy answering questions from the media people, both personally and through the phone. Edward answered each question in brief sentences, with no elaboration.

Finally, at five in the afternoon, the press seemed to have died down and the house was again back to its normal quiet state. Elizabeth Masen, who had insisted to serve coffee and snacks to all media men who came over, was now busy helping Angela clear away the mess.

The phone rang and Edward answered it, when it appeared to be another interview, probably the last one, Bella opted to go help clean up the mess. However when she noticed Jacob slip away to the library, she excused herself, knowing she might not have another chance to speak to him alone.

Jacob was pouring whiskey for himself when the door opened. "Would you like to have a drink?" He asked when he looked up and saw Bella entering the room.

"Yes, pour me champagne?" She quietly closed the door, shutting out Edward's voice from the living room.

"Sure thing." He said reaching for another glass. "It's been a hectic day, huh?"

"Yeah," Bella walked over to take the champagne glass from his hand.

"Edward sure does know who to handle himself with the press," Jacob remarked.

"Yes, he does," Bella sipped at her drink.

There was a moment of silence; neither of them knew how to continue the conversation. Bella placed her glass on the counter, deciding to be the one to break the ice.

"Jacob," She started, "I've been wanting to see you today, alone," She reached into her pocket and retrieved the ring, "to return this to you."

He took it from her hand, looking boyishly uncomfortable. He rubbed it with his thumb and stared at it, not wanting to meet her gaze.

"I don't want you to get the idea that I was brushing you off yesterday," His voice uncertain, still looking down.

"No, no, no," Bella shook her head. "I'm sorry too."

"Hey," Jacob finally met her gaze, reaching over to put a hand on her shoulder, "I know how you felt about Edward. I can never compete with that. I didn't want to stand in the way. I want you to be happy. You deserve to be." He looked at her sincerely and Bella gave him an understanding smile.

Jacob smiled in relief. "You must be really happy that he's back."

"I…" she was about to repeat the positive words she had been saying to the press all day but she couldn't. Jacob had been her best friend all her life, she could tell him anything. "He's changed, Jacob."

"Well, considering all that Edward has been through, it's just natural that he did," he offered.

"I know, but –" she let out a frustrated sigh. She couldn't find the words to explain.

"Hey, come on," Jacob gave her a friendly pat on the shoulder, "you and Edward care so much about each other. You'll work out your differences. You just need a little time, you'll see." He reasoned. "Now, how about you flash me a real smile?"

Bella smiled; his positive attitude had affected her.

"There it is!" he grinned.

"Thanks, Jacob," Bella said sincerely and gave him a hug.

At that time the knob turned and Edward opened the door. He froze at the sight of Bella in Jacob's arms. She stiffened as she saw how hard his jaw was clenched. But his emotion was well hidden when he spoke. "Is this a private party or can anyone join?"

Bella withdrew her arms from around Jacob and took hold of her champagne glass. With that comment from Edward, she knew that he wouldn't be throwing any fires just yet. And for the rest of the evening, through dinner, Edward put on a pleasant attitude.

It was already late in the evening when Jacob left. And as his car backed away from the driveway, Bella started to walk towards the living room when Edward grabbed her arm. They stopped in the hallway.

"Stay away from Jacob." He commanded, his gaze hard and merciless.

"What?" She was outraged. All the blame for the innocent encounter was placed on her. "I can't just stop talking to him!"

"Whatever relationship you had with him before is over now," Edward stated coldly. "From now on, he'll simply be an acquaintance to you."

"That's impossible!" Did he want her to dismiss Jacob as quickly as a snap of the fingers? "I can't just forget what he meant to me!"

His hands forcibly dug into her arms jerking her towards him. And before she knew it, her lips were crushed by an angry kiss, telling her that she was his and erasing any memory of another's mouth.

Bella pushed hard on her chest, escaping his embrace. Taking a step backwards, she glared at him.

"You – " she began with weak rage.

"Don't push me, Bella!" Edward warned.

They stood there glaring at each other in dead silence. Bella didn't know how long the battle of wills would have continued if his mother hadn't showed up.

"Edward, Angela told me that you had some blankets brought to the library. Are you going to sleep there again tonight?" Elizabeth frowned.

"Yes mom, I am." He replied evidently. "It's better to not sleeping at all."

"I suppose so," his mother sighed in reluctant agreement. "Goodnight, then."

"Goodnight, mom," Edward turned and walk away.

************************************************************************

Bella woke up the next morning and immediately prepared for work. When she went downstairs, Edward was nowhere to be found. When she asked Angela, the younger woman informed her that Edward had gone out saying that he had a meeting with the family attorney. Bella just nodded, grabbed some breakfast and headed for the office.

She walked down the corridor to her office, keeping a steady pace as she greeted various employees.

"Good morning, Jessica," she greeted cheerfully.

"Good morning, Mrs. Masen," she greeted back, beaming at her. "You're in good spirits this morning."

"Yes, I am," Bella, agreed. She had a good night's sleep and she luckily evaded the expected clash with Edward this morning. So, in a way, she was happy, at least for the moment.

"Your good spirits wouldn't have anything to with Mr. Masen coming back, would it? Jessica asked with a knowing twinkle in her eyes, and then continued, "All of us here are happy that he's back safely."

"Yes," Bella nodded. "Any messages for me this morning?" she changed the subject. "Any calls?"

"No messages, and…only one call," the secretary, replied, "but Mr. Masen already took the call."

"Mr. Masen?" she repeated. "You mean Edward is already here?"

"Yes, he's in the office." Jessica motioned towards Bella's private office. "He told me to let you in when you arrive."

For a few seconds, Bella was too stunned to speak. It was her office, her pride protested. And her secretary was giving her permission to enter it. She brown eyes darkened with bitter rage and irritation. Edward had moved in and managed to convey the impression that she moved out. Without bothering to knock at the door, she yanked it open and saw Edward sitting behind the massive walnut desk – her desk! He looked up when she entered, an arrogant brow raised. This blew the fuse to her temper.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded.

"I was about to ask you the same question," Edward countered with sickening calmness.

"This happens to be my office and that's my secretary outside!" Bella retorted. "And those are my notes!" She added motioning to the papers he held in his hands.

He leaned back in the swivel chair, looking at her with little emotion. "I was under the impression that all of this," he waved his hand in an encircling gesture, "belonged to the foundation."

"I happen to be in charge of the foundation," she reminded him.

"You were in charge of the foundation," he corrected. "I'm in charge now."

"You're taking over," she repeated, her anger becoming uncontrollable. "Just like that?"

"Yes, your job is done." Edward shrugged. "And you did an excellent job from what I've seen." It was a compliment, but the way he said it only made her angrier.

"And what am I supposed to do?" she demanded.

"Go home." He frowned, as if not understanding why she was upset.

"And do what?" Bella challenged. "Sit around the house the whole day? Angela does the cooking and cleaning. It's your mother's house, Edward. There's nothing for me to do there."

"You can go to the school and start teaching kindergarten again or you can start looking for a house of our own," he suggested. "That's what you wanted before, right? A place of our own that you can decorate the way you want it?"

A part of her still wanted that, but not as much as she did before. "That was before, Edward." She argued. "I've changed. And if we did have a house and the decorating was all done the way I wanted it, what would I do then? Sit around and admire my decorating skills? No, I enjoy my work here. It's demanding and it's fulfilling."

He watched here with narrowed eyes. "What you're saying is that you enjoy the power that goes along with it."

"I enjoy the power," Bella admitted without hesitation, her chin raised in confidence. "I also enjoy the challenges and the responsibilities that come with it. Not only men have the right to feel those emotions."

"So what are you suggesting, Love? That we reverse our roles? That I find the house; do all the decorating?"

"No, I didn't say that." Now she was confused. She didn't know what the solution was.

"Maybe you'd like me to take another flight to Africa and not bother to come back this time?"

"No, I wouldn't – and stop twisting my words!"

Tears flooded her eyes, all the emotions in her was become too much to control. Looking away, she frantically tried to blink back the tears, not wanting Edward to see them. The swivel chair squeaked as Edward rose and approached her.

"Is this the way you handle business disagreements?" He taunted.

Bella didn't answer and kept her face away from him. His thumb and fingers clamped on her chin, forcing her to face him. "Do you usually give in to a female display of tears when you don't get what you want?"

There were too many tears in her eyes that she could barely see his face. "No," she retorted, pushing his hand away from her chin. "Do you always attack on a personal level when someone doesn't agree with you?"

He let out a long sigh, and then his fingers curved to the back of her neck, forcing her head in the space between his neck and his shoulder. An arm wrapped around her to draw her close. She felt him place a light kiss at the side of her head, just above her ear. His embrace was strong and warm but Bella refused to give into Edward's attempt to comfort her.

"Would you mind telling me what the hell I'm supposed to do about this?" Edward muttered.

"I don't know," she sniffled; her hands shook as she wiped her tears.

"Love," Edward held her face with both hands, wiping away her tears with his thumbs. His features softened at the sight of her teary eyes. Then the phone rang. Edward moved and held onto Bella's hand as he quickly moved towards the table, pulling her close behind him.

"Yes," he irritably pressed the loudspeaker button.

"Um… Mr. Black wanted me to tell you that everyone's already in the meeting room, waiting for you." Jessica informed.

"Meeting? I didn't schedule any meeting for this morning." Bella's browed furrowed.

"I called it." Edward replied flatly. "Ok, tell them I'll be there in a minute." He hung up.

"You weren't going to tell me about the meeting, were you?" she accused.

"No," he replied.

"Never mind, it doesn't matter anymore. I'm out and you're in. " she said dismissingly, snatching her hand away from his.

Edward raked a hand through his hair, rumpling it into an attractive mess. "What am I supposed to do, Bella?" he demanded impatiently.

"That's up to you," she shrugged, pretending to be unmoved amidst the fact that every part of her struggled with the prospect of the empty life ahead of her. "If you don't mind, I'd like to borrow your secretary. A letter formally tendering my resignation will be on your desk when you return from your meeting." And before Edward could say anything else, she turned at her heel and rush out, slamming the door behind her.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Okay guys thanks for the reviews! This story only has a few more chapters left. I'm almost finished with it. I'm a little disappointed that not that many people are reviewing because I am really curious to know everyone's opinions. This is not a Jacob story to be honest I couldn't stand him in the books I just made him look like a good guy. My choice was either Jacob or Jasper and Jacob won. That's about it for now… Please R/R!!!**

Bella was met with the curious and widened gaze of the secretary, Jessica Stanley. Apparently, the walls of the private office are not thick enough to shut out the sound of their raised voices. Bella strained to appear composed despite her fight with Edward as she walked to Jessica's desk.

"Put aside whatever you're doing, Jessica," she ordered, trying to ignore the Jessica's curious look. "I want you to type a letter of resignation – for me. You know the standard form of these things. Just keep it simple and direct. Effective immediately."

"Right away, Mrs. Masen," Jessica murmured, immediately turning to her computer.

The office door was pulled open and Bella glanced over her shoulder to see Edward walk through. She could tell that he himself was trying to keep his emotions in check. Edward looked at her and walked towards her. She didn't want to talk to him anymore but she stood there motionless as he walked to her, the force of his gaze vibrating all over her body.

"Bella, I – " Edward didn't get the rest of his sentence out.

"Oh, I see you're on your way," Jacob suddenly appeared from the corridor. "I was just coming to see how much longer you'd be." His gazed switched its attention to Bella and became troubled at the sight of the tears silently streaming down her face.

"Yes, I'm on my way," Edward agreed crisply, and looked back at Bella. "I want you to attend the meeting, Bella." He stated.

Bella's brows furrowed, there was something in his gaze, it was almost like he was pleading for her to agree. But her pride has gotten the best of her. "No. It's better for everyone to realize that you're in charge now. My being there might confuse them." She saw his featured harden at her response.

"Let's go," Edward turned abruptly, addressing Jacob and in a silent storm, he walked out of the room. Bella stood there feeling drained and colorless; a mixture of emotions washing over her. Her nerves felt like it might snap at the slightest pressure. When the letter of resignation was printed out, her hand trembled as she affixed her signature to it.

"Please put it on Mr. Masen's desk," she said, handing the letter to Jessica.

"It was nice working for you, Mrs. Masen," the secretary sincerely offered as Bella turned to go.

"Thank you, Jessica," Bella gave a small smile, and then hurried from the room.

Leaving the building, she walked to her car. She didn't want to go home. She knew there was no way she could handle listening to Elizabeth Masen's happy conversation about Edward's return. With her window rolled down in her beaten old truck, she drove with no destination in mind. She drove around the city, but half the time, she was too blinded by tears to know where she was. She drove around and through the back streets, the main streets and the side streets, the wind whipping at her hair, glittering in the morning air.

Bella instinctively glanced at the dashboard and found the gasoline gauge hovering at the empty mark. She forced all her thoughts aside as she parked in a gas station and waited in the building while her tank was being filled. Then they returned with a pounding force. Bella relentlessly searched her purse for her cell phone and dialed the number of the one person who she leaned on in the past two and a half years.

"Hey," Jacob's familiar voice came through the phone.

"Jacob, it's me," she rushed.

"Yeah, um…what's the matter?" he sounded uncertain and guarded.

"Are you alone?"

"No." Which meant that Edward must be with him. Bella wasn't sure how she knew it was Edward and not someone else, but she was pretty sure of it.

"Jacob, I have to talk to you…I need to talk," she pleaded. Glancing at her watch, she didn't give him a chance to reply, "Can you meet me for lunch?"

She heard the deep breath he took before he answered, "I'm sorry, I've already made plans for lunch."

"I have to see you," she repeated. "What about later?"

"Why don't we get together for a drink? Around 6?"

"Okay," she agreed. It was a long wait but she realized it was the best he could offer. "I'll meet you at McCarty's."

"I'll meet you there," Jacob promised.

"And, Jacob," Bella hesitated, "please don't tell Edward. He wouldn't understand."

There was a long pause before he finally said, "No, I won't. See you then."

Bella hung up and walked back to her car. Turning the key in the ignition, she started the car and drove away, wondering what she was going to do for the rest of the day.

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"No, I won't. See you then." Jacob said and then hung up. He let out a long sigh as he set his phone down.

"That was Bella." Edward sighed. It wasn't a question. He knew. His features hardened. Jacob could tell that he was trying very hard to contain himself.

"Yes." Jacob said. Standing up and stuffing his hands into his pockets. He looked out of the window, thought for a few seconds before tuning to his friend. "Look Edward, I know you don't like me very much right now. But I'm her friend and you have to listen to me. I know you had a tough time in the savannah and with the villages. God only knows how much you've been through. But have you thought of what Bella has been through?" Edward just looked away, and he continued. "She was a wreck Edward, that time when you were missing and more so when they finally said that there were no survivors. But she had to be strong, for your mother and the foundation. When I asked her to marry me…" Edward's head immediately turned to face him.

Jacob held his palm towards him, urging him to listen. "When I asked her to marry me, she didn't say yes immediately. And then when she finally did, she wasn't sure if she did the right thing. And that was because of you, Edward. She loves you and even if she thought you were gone she still felt like she was betraying you. You've changed Edward, and that's understandable. But you're still Edward, the old you is still there somewhere. And maybe, just for Bella, you could bring him back."

Edward just sat there, staring back at his friend. Then the telephone rang.

"Yes?" Jacob said, answering the phone, "yes, ok. I'll be right there."

Jacob sighed as he hung up and looked back at Edward. "So, I'm going to call her later and tell her that I won't be able to make it to McCarty's. But you should go. You need to talk to her. Spend some time together."

Edward looked away and gave a small nod. Jacob opened the door of his office. He was about to walk out when Edward called him, "Jacob, tell her to just go home. I'll talk to her at home."

"Okay." Jacob agreed and left.

************************************************************************

Bella sat at the part of the bar where she had a total view of the entrance door. A drink was in front of her, untouched, the ice melting. She glanced at her watch, five more minutes, and Jacob would be there.

She had called Elizabeth an hour earlier to tell her that she would be late without explaining why or where she was. Edward would surely be angry. But she would think about the consequences of her meeting with Jacob later.

A long time has passed and Jacob still hasn't arrived. Bella frowned as she once again glanced at her watch. It was already 6:30. Jacob was never late. And then her phone rang it was Jacob.

"Hello? Where are you?" Bella asked in a confused tone.

"Bella, I'm so sorry, I meant to call earlier." Jacob said sincerely. "I'm sorry but I won't be able to meet you today. I'm still in a meeting with some of our executives. And it's running long, so...I'm sorry." Jacob finished.

"That's okay," Bella replied in a defeated tone.

"We'll meet up some other time. You should go home, take some rest. It'll be okay." Jacob offered.

"Okay. Thanks, Jacob. Bye." She said, smiling lightly before hanging up. She eyed the drink in front of her. She didn't want to go home just yet. She just wanted shut out everything for a while. And she knew exactly how to do it.

"Emmett," she called the bartender, who was an old friend since highschool, "give me a shot of tequila."

"Tequila?" Emmett raised an eyebrow. "Something bad happened?"

"Yeah, was Bella's only reply, and Emmett knew that she didn't want to talk about it. But he amusedly smiled to himself because he would eventually know what was wrong, but not until the second shot of tequila.

"Here 'ya go," he said pouring tequila to a shot glass.

Bella looked around the bar, her head pounding. The tequila was already taking effect on her. She glanced back at the table and counted the shot glasses in front of her. 1, 2, 3, 4. That was about the number when she would normally be really drunk.

"Emmett, I think you need to call a cab." She said, her speech a little slurry. Her vision was already blurry, she was in no shape to drive back home, she knew that much. She rested her head on her hand and looked ahead as she waited for her cab to arrive.

After a few moments, the door was opened. Bella glanced to the door, and the figure that entered the lounge paralyzed her lungs. If it was even possible, her heart stopped beating, before it skyrocketed in alarm.

Just inside the bar, Edward paused, scanning the area. There was no way Bella could escape without catching his attention. And she was too drunk. She tried to make herself small, hoping he wouldn't see her in this dim corner of the bar. Bella felt rather than saw his gaze lock on her seconds before his strides carried him to her part of the bar.

When he stopped beside her, Bella couldn't look up. Her hands curled into fists on the table. Edward took the seat beside her, not tearing his gaze away from her. He didn't speak, waiting for Bella to acknowledge him first.

"Imagine meeting you here," she offered in a bitter tone, not letting her gaze lift from the shot glasses in front of her.

"It's not a coincidence," he replied, eyeing the four shot glasses in front of her. And he already knew that she was drunk. He couldn't help but smile amusedly at her. She was beautiful even when she was drunk. Her cheeks were flushed; her hair was in an attractive disarray.

"Why are you smiling?" she frowned. "And how did you know I was here?" she demanded.

"Jacob told me." Edward answered, still smiling.

"He promised he wouldn't tell you!" she groaned, burying her face in her hands. Then she looked back at him, "Why did he tell you?"

"He said we needed to talk and spend some time together." He answered truthfully, moving closer to her and tucking her hair behind her ear. "I waited for you at home, but you didn't come, so I decided to come here."

Bella searched his face. It was as if the Edward had gone back to his old self. His green eyes were soft and he had that crooked grin on his face. Perhaps she was just too drunk, and she was imagining things, she told herself. Her brows furrowed in confusion. "Why are you –" She suddenly stopped mid-sentence, her hand shot up to cover her mouth.

Edward immediately stood up and moved beside her, one hand on the small of her back. "Bella?" he asked, concerned.

"I'm okay. Just a false alarm." She supplied.

"Okay," Edward gently wrapped an arm around her small waist; "we have to get you home." He helped her stand up. Bella didn't argue. She reached for her bag and let Edward help her stand up. With his free hand, Edward took a money clip from his pocket and peeled off a bills tossing it to the table. Then he held her and guided her out of the bar.

Bella had fallen asleep sometime during the drive home. When they arrived, Edward carried her to their bedroom. He gently laid her down on the bed and then slowly removed her coat and shoes. Then he walked towards the door when he heard her call his name. Bella stirred and slowly sat up. "Edward?"

"Hey," Edward walked back to her, sitting at the side of the bed.

"I…." Bella started, but realized she didn't know what she wanted to say. She sat there staring at him.

Edward sighed, shaking his head. "I had a lot of time to think while I was trying to fight my way out of that desert hell. I kept remembering all our fights that started over the damnest things. I kept telling myself that if I ever made it back, they were going to a thing in the past. Yet within hours after I saw you, we were at each other's throats." He finished, smiling bitterly.

"I know," She nodded frowning.

Edward captured her chin and kissed her cheek then he slowly took possession of her mouth. The kiss was like a slow-burning flame that kept growing hotter. Its heat melted Bella against his chest. Her throbbing pulse sounded loudly in her ears as the flames coursed through her body.

Before she surrendered completely to the weakness of her physical desire, she twisted away from his mouth and gently pushed against his chest. "Edward, I…."

"Okay." He said and Bella looked back at him surprised. He set her away from him, as if removing himself from temptation. "I'll wait," he conceded. He ran his fingers through his hair as he stood up. "Go to sleep, Love," he said with a hint of weariness, "I have some calls to make."

Bella set her palms on the mattress and pressed on it. "I had Angela order a new mattress for you, and it looks like she put it in here. This bed is like sleeping on granite. I'll…I'll sleep in the guest room."

Bella was moving to get out of the bed but Edward stopped her. He crouched down, his both hands settled on her waist, giving it a light squeeze. "Am I asking too much to want my wife to sleep beside me?" he looked into her eyes, smiling ruefully.

Averting her head, she closed her eyes to murmur a soft, "No. It isn't too much."

The next sound she heard was the opening of the door. Bella got up and changed for bed. After a few minutes she crawled beneath the covers, the bed barely giving an inch under her full weight. Thank goodness she was drunk, because if not, she would be hours away from sleep with this bed.

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A hand was making rubbing strokes along her upper arm, pleasantly soothing caresses, then fingers tightened to shake her gently. "Come on, Love, wake up!" a velvet voice ordered.

"Mmmm." The negative sound vibrated from her throat as she snuggled deeper into her pillow.

Only it wasn't a pillow. There was a steady thud beneath her head and the pillow that wasn't a pillow moved up and down in regular rhythm. It definitely wasn't a pillow. She was nestled in the crook of Edward's arm, her ear resting on his chest. She had forsaken the hardness of the mattress some time in the night and cuddled up to the warm hardness of his body.

Her eyelids snapped open. Bella would have moved away from him, but an arm around her tightened to hold her there for a few more seconds. Then a finger tipped her chin upward, forcing her to look at him. And her heart skipped a beat at the lazy warmth in his dazzling face.

"I'd miss what it was like to sleep with you." Edward murmured. "Arms and legs all over the place!" he chuckled kissing her head.

Bella turned red and rolled out of his arms. The movement immediately caused a wince of pain. Every bone and fiber in her body hurt caused by the night she spent on the rock-hard bed.

"How can you stand to sleep in this bed?" She groaned. "It's awful!"

"You'll get used to it." There was a laughing glint in his eyes as he spoke.

"What time is it?" Bella questioned.

"Seven," he answered absently, rubbing the stubbles on his chin as he got out of the bed.

She started to rise gingerly. Then she remembered she no longer had any reason to go to the office and sank back to the mattress, her head throbbed from her hangover, and irritation swept over her.

"Why did you wake me up?" She frowned.

"You'd be late for work," was Edward's even response.

"Have you forgotten?" Bitterness was in her voice. "I've been replaced. I'm a lady of leisure now."

"Are you?" He raised his brows then smiled, "your boss doesn't think so."

Did he just smile? Bella was confused. "Why are you being so nice? And what boss? You? You're my husband not my boss."

"Does that mean you're tuning it down?" he asked, ignoring her first question.

"What? Will you stop talking in riddles?"

"Maybe if you hadn't been so proud and stubborn yesterday morning and attended the meeting like I asked you to, you'd know what I'm taking about."

She pressed a hand against her forehead, tension and the after effects of the tequila pounding in her head. "I didn't attend the meeting, so could you explain?"

"We're starting a whole new advertising campaign to enhance the image of The Masen Foundation," he explained. "And you're going to be in charge of the campaign."

"What?" Edward's announcement brought her upright, wary disbelief and skepticism in the look she gave him. "Are you joking?"

"Hardly." He said smugly then he walked around the bed to where she stood. "I put the proposal for the campaign to the rest of the staff yesterday, along with the recommendation that you handle it." He informed her, his face turning serious.

"What are you up to?" She couldn't accept that there wasn't as ulterior motive behind the offer. Just yesterday in the office he looked like he wanted to pounce on her, and now he was acting like it they never had that argument and to top it all off, he was suddenly acting like his old self.

Almost immediately, Bella mentally hit herself on the head, this is what she wanted. "Why didn't you tell me this last night?" she frowned. "Your decision had already been made early yesterday. Why did you wait until now to tell me?"

Edward studied her thoughtfully. "I was going to tell you last night when you came home, but circumstances changed my mind and I decided to wait."

"Oh," was her only reply.

************************************************************************

At the breakfast table, their conversation was frigidly civil.

"Please pass the juice."

"May I have the strawberry jelly?"

That fragile mood of shy affection they had woken up to that morning was gone. Bella frowned in confusion. What was her husband up to?

When they finished breakfast, Edward set his cup down. "We'll ride to the office together since your truck is still at the bar's parking lot. Emmett said he might even let Rosalie take a look at it." He announced smirking. Bella didn't protest and nodded her agreement.

Bella dreaded the whole ride to the office. They didn't utter a single word toward each other. Edward glanced at her a couple of times looking like he wanted to tell her something but that was it.

"I'll show you your office." Edward spoke to her in a professional manner as they entered the building.

The office room was not as big as the private office that she had gotten used to. But it was decent enough.

"Alright, I'll have every material you need for the campaign brought here in a few minutes." Edward said as she set her bag on the table. Then he turned and left her alone in her new office.

Bella had kept herself busy the whole day. Jacob had visited her a couple of times and informed her that he will be working with her on the campaign. But for the most part of the day, she busied herself browsing through the materials Edward had sent over.

Bent over her desk, Bella was concentrating on the proposals from the selected advertising agencies that had arrived late in the afternoon. Absently she stroked the eraser tip of her pencil through her hair. She was so intent on the papers that she didn't hear the footsteps in the hallway or notice that a figure was standing in her open doorway.

"Are you planning to work late?" The sound of Edward's voice jerked her head up.

He stood there, leaning on the doorframe, looking a bit tired and yet so magnetically attractive. The darkness of his tan seemed to have faded a little, but it still accented the white long sleeves he wore under his black blazer. Through half-closed lids, he looked at her, creating the impression of lazy and friendly interest.

As always, when he caught her unaware, her pulse accelerated. An odd tightness gripped her throat, leaving her breathless and for a second, the room seemed to spin crazily. It was moments like these that Bella wanted to just let the powerful attraction she felt simply carry away. But that was too easy and too dangerous. It wouldn't solve any of the differences that had grown in the years they were apart.

His question registered in a delayed reaction. She managed to tear her gaze away from his to glance at her watch, surprise to see it was a few minutes before six o'clock. The she noticed the silence in the rest of the building. The muffled voices from the hallway and the clacking of the keyboards can no longer be heard. Nearly everyone had left for the day, except herself and Edward.

"I didn't realize it was so late," she offered to answer his question. "I just have to clear these things away."

As she stacked the proposals one on top of the other, Edward wandered into the room. He suddenly seemed to fill every square inch of it. Within herself, Bella was conscious of the intense disturbance his presence caused.

"How is the campaign going?" he inquired, his gaze flicked to the papers in her hand and the continued, "How are you and Jacob getting along?"

Bella search for the antagonism in his voice and features, but it wasn't there. He was simply asking. "Good." She answered.

"Good." He reciprocated in response. And Bella looked up to match his gaze.

"Hand me my sweater, please." Frigid politeness laced her voice.

Glancing around, Edward slipped it off the chair and held it out to her as she walked around the desk to the front. Silence has fallen over them as he helped her into her sweater. Edward reached for her wrist to fix the sleeve of the sweater to place.

"I have a selfish reason for wanting Jacob to work with you on this project." He quietly admitted, answering her unspoken question. His fingers were lightly stoking the inside of her wrist, a caressing motion that was disturbing.

A tingling warmth spread up her arm, her nerves fluttering in awareness of how close she stood to him. "What is it?" There was breathlessness to her voice as she spoke. Looking into his eyes, she was nearly overcome by the feeling that she could willingly drown in his stare.

"Because I know that eventually this project is going to involve a good deal of traveling and I wanted to make sure it wasn't my wife who went on these trips."

"I see." She couldn't think of anything else to say.

With a degree of reluctance, she withdrew from his touch, turning to the desk to pick up her handbag. "I'm ready to leave now," she said aware of the conflicting currents between them, alternately pulling and repelling. Edward didn't make a move to leave. He just stood there looking at her, making her feel more uncomfortable and unsure of her own needs and wants.

"When are you doing to make a decision, Bella?" he asked her.

"Decision about what?" she turned to him confused.

"Whether you still want me as your husband." There was a hint of bitterness in his voice that made her feel guilty.

"Soon." She answered softly.

"Why are you waiting? What's holding you back?" he questioned. "It isn't Jacob anymore, so what's left?"

"I don't know." Bella shook her head uncertainly.

Needing to move, she started towards the door. However, with that animal silence, Edward came up behind her, his hands sliding over her shoulders. The loving touch of him stopped her in her tracks.

"Decide now," Edward ordered in a low murmur.

The dark length of her hair was secured in a bun low on the back of her head. She felt the warm stirring of his breath on the exposed skin of her neck, sensitive and vulnerable. The affective pressure of his lips exploring that special pleasure point sent a tremor through her. His hands slid down to her forearms, crossing them in front of her as her molded her shoulders, waist and hips to the hard contours of his length.

Bella struggled out of the emotional upheaval going on inside of her to protest, "Edward, I can't!"

"You want to." His mouth moved to her ear, his teeth nibbling at its lobe. "You know you do."

"I don't know anything," she breathed raggedly.

"Then feel," Edward instructed.

That was the problem. She felt too much it blocked out her thinking process. She didn't want to want to make a decision in the heat of an embrace.

"Edward, no!" She swallowed and pushed his hands from around her waist. She took a step away from his tempting embrace and stopped, shaking and weak with desire. Her head was lowered, her chin tucked into her throat. She felt his gaze boring into her shoulders.

Edward ran his fingers through his hair, letting out a frustrated sigh. His whole body stiff in his struggle to contain his irritation that she kept rejecting him even when they both knew what she really wanted. Then he slipped a hand under her elbow. Her first thought was that he intended to ignore her uncertainties and kiss her into submission, something that wouldn't be too difficult to do. Instead he pushed her forward. "Let's go," he muttered.

His long strides made it impossible for Bella to keep up with him without half-running. The rigid set of his jaw kept her from drawing attention to herself or her plight. He didn't slow down until he reached the parking lot, where she struggled to catch her breath as they walked to the car.

Without looking directly at her, Edward unlocked the car and held the passenger door open for her, slamming it shut when she was safely inside. Walking around the car, he opened his own door and slid behind the wheel. He put the key in the ignition, but didn't start the car.

Resting his hands on the steering wheel, he stared straight ahead for several long seconds making Bella grow increasingly uneasy at the silence. Then finally, his gaze swung to her, his expression grim.

"The first day I was back, you claimed we needed time to get to know each other again," Edward said.

"You remember," she remarked.

"Believe me, I remember everything you've said," he returned with weariness, his attention shifting to the windshield in front of him. Bella shifted uncomfortably in her seat, but remained silent.

"The point is, Bella, that we aren't getting to know each other again. We're not talking. The only place we spend any time together alone is in the bedroom. And we both know there isn't any communication taking place there, physical or otherwise."

"So what are you suggesting?" Bella questioned stiffly.

"That we spend more time together, like you wanted."

"That's a bit difficult with both of us working."

"Neither of us work during the weekend," Edward reminded her. When she didn't answer, he continued, "I've decided we'll spend the weekend at Isle Esme so we can have the time alone together Dr. Cullen offered to let us vacation there– so no friends, no family, just you and me."

"Isle Esme," Bella repeated the name of the private island Dr. Cullen owned that was located in the tropics.

"That's what I said," he turned his head to look at her. Then he reached to put his hand on hers. "Love, please," he said almost pleading, "It'll be fun." He supplied with a light smile, his head tilting to the side trying to convince her.

Bella looked back at him for a moment, trying to figure out why she was even thinking twice about it. It was, after all, a good idea and what she wanted. "Okay." She finally said turning her head down to look at their hands on her lap.

"Okay." Edward repeated softly. Withdrawing his had, he started the car and drove away.


	5. Chapter 5

The whole week had gone by much faster than Bella wanted since she agreed to Edward's idea of them spending the weekend at Isle Esme. There had been no upheavals with Edward since then. He had been nice and friendly toward her the whole week, engaging into casual conversations with her from time to time. They'd ride together to and from work. He'd walk her to her office in the morning and he'd come to get her when it was time to go home. At home, they slept in the same bed but he'd only touch her for a good night or a good morning kiss on the cheek. Bella appreciated all this but she also didn't know what to make of it.

And now, as the plane left the private airport heading for the small island in the tropics, Bella couldn't help feeling a bit uneasy and tense. She stared sightlessly at the beach. She and Edward had barely exchanged five words with each other since leaving the office and the silence was growing thicker. Bella wasn't sure if she could take much more, she felt like jumping off the ferry and swim back to shore.

Edward looked at his wife, her stance frigid and her hands gripped the arm rests so tight that her knuckles turned white. He laughed inwardly as he approached her. He placed a hand on her shoulder, "Bella, relax. This isn't a big plane and the weather is calm. There's very little chance that you'll get airsick." She just gave him a smile before he left her alone with her thoughts. Apparently, she wasn't the only one who was unsure of what to do with the situation.

After a few moments of staring out into the ocean, Bella sighed and glanced at Edward sitting a few feet away talking to the stewardess. Their attention was on the dull grey clouds that suddenly hung low overhead. There was nothing threatening about them but they certainly added to the gloom Bella felt. The two were obviously talking about the weather because she overheard the women saying, "I hope you're right that it's going to be sunny and clear at the island. I don't know anything about currents and how they affect the weather. All I know is that I want to get a weekend of rest."

Edward's prediction of good weather on Isle Esme was true. They could fairly see their destination when the clouds began to thin. When the ferry docked, there were only patches of clouds in the sky. But the silence between Bella and Edward didn't break. But despite that, she felt her spirits lift as they got off the plane on the island. Its atmosphere was refreshing and Bella understood why it had been a popular get away place for many people.

She became absorbed in the scenery as Edward drove across the island to a pleasant private estate stretched along the shoreline.

Much of the previous tension returned when Edward parked in front of a house. It seemed different somehow to share a room here. Bella couldn't say why though, since they had been sharing a bedroom almost ever since Edward had returned. She felt self-conscious walking beside him to the porch.

"Were you planning to sight see with me?" The cynically amused question didn't help her fluttering stomach.

"Yes." She said quickly.

"Tomorrow we'll take a look at the beaches."

"It sounds interesting," she offered, just to be saying something.

"Yes," Edward agreed. "Shall we go to our rooms?"

"Rooms?" In plural, her eyes questioned.

"Yes, two,' he answered with a gentle, almost tender expression of patience on his face. "We have adjoining bedrooms. I intend to give this weekend every chance of proving whatever it is that you feel needs proving, Bella."

She couldn't make any response but a quiet 'thank you' when he handed her the key to her room.

"When a man is desperate, he'll try anything," Edward returned cryptically, but there was a glint of humor in his eyes.

They walked to their rooms in silence, but it was no longer as strained as it had been. Edward hesitated outside his door, catching her eye for a second before he slipped the key in unlocking the door and walked inside his room.

Bella looked at her luggage, intending to unpack but instead, she paused as the interior door that connected the two bedrooms. Edward was on the other side of it. Unconsciously, she reached for the doorknob. It was locked. Regret clashed with relief as she walked back to her suitcase and unpacked.

An hour later, she had showered and was dressed in a white baby doll blouse and dark brown pants. Edward didn't mention whether he would meet her at the restaurant for dinner or go down with her. She debated whether she should wait in the room or go to the restaurant, then deciding to wait, she sat down on the bed. And instantly, a smile curved her lips. The mattress was blissfully soft, sinking beneath her weight. It was going to be a wonderful change from Edward's rock-hard mattress at home.

Then there was a knock at her door and Bella rose to answer it, the smile still lingering on her lips. Edward stood outside, his eyes warming to a dark green at her expression.

"You look happy about something," he commented with a slight smile.

"My bed," Bella explained, smiling further. "It's soft."

He chuckled softly, understanding. His eyes danced in amusement. Her heart skipped a beat and then refused to return to an even tempo.

"So, dinner?" Edward held out his hand, cocking his head to the side. Self-consciously, she let her fingers be engulfed in his hand, but he remained at the door, blocking the way and preventing her from stepping out. His hold on her hand shifted, raising the inside of her wrist to his mouth.

"Have I told you how beautiful you are?" he murmured.

"Edward, please," Bella protested, her lashes fluttering down at the stimulating touch of his warm lips against the sensitive area of her wrist.

"It's simply a compliment," he interrupted innocently as he brought her hand away. "All you have to do is say 'thank you.'"

"Thank you," she repeated in a little voice, more disturbed by the effect he had on her.

"That's better," Edward smiled and moved aside, leading her out of the room and reaching behind her to close the door.

Fresh seafood was the sensible choice to make from the menu. Once the decision had been made, Bella sat in the chair opposite from Edward, a bundle of twisted nerves inside of her, but she forced herself to be still. Without the steady chatter of Elizabeth Masen to lead the table conversation, she couldn't think of anything to say. Her tongue was tied into knots.

"I'm going to have to make a trip to the bookstore soon," Edward commented with seeming idleness. "I have a lot of reading to catch up on."

"Yes, I suppose you do." Bella wanted to cry at how stiff her response had been.

But Edward either didn't notice it or deliberately ignored it, it was probably the latter. "It sounds a little crazy, but reading was one of the things I really missed. I never thought it was something important before."

"I doubt if I have either," she admitted, forgetting her self-consciousness at his insightful comment.

"Any new titles you'd like to recommend?"

Bella hesitated, then suggested, "Shadow Country."

Before she realized what was going on, she found herself becoming engrossed in a discussion of new books that had been published in Edward's absence and titles they had both read in the past. Then from reading, their conversation drifted to movies and TV. And then it seemed natural to tell him about the things she had done while he was gone, decisions she had been forced to make, such as subletting their apartment and sorting their furnishings.

When Edward later signaled the waiter for the check, Bella was surprised to learn that it was after ten o'clock and there hadn't been one awkward moment between them, not a single remark that had been argumentative in a way. She wondered if Edward had noticed it too, but she was afraid to ask. She didn't want to risk breaking whatever kind atmosphere they have created.

They both seemed to be in a fine reflective mood as the made their way to their rooms. Bella was conscious of his hand lightly resting on the back of her waist, a faintly possessive air to his guiding touch, but she didn't have the slightest objection to it.

"Do you know what this reminds me of?" Edward asked when they paused in front of her door.

"What?" Bella looked up, curios and thoughtful.

"All those times I used to walk you to the door of your dorm and kiss you goodnight in a dark corner of the building." He glanced around the hallway. "Of course, here, there aren't any dark corners." His gaze returned to her face, a playful gleam in his eyes. "But I am going to kiss you goodnight."

His head bent and Bella lifted hers to meet him halfway. The kiss was intensely light and questioning, both looking for answers to unknown questions. Each seemed to realize that it would take only the slightest movement to deepen the embrace to one of passion. Yet neither made it, merely testing the temperature of the water without fully going in.

With obvious reluctance, they both withdrew from the embrace, silently gazing at each other. Edward took a step back, clearing his throat, a closed look stealing over his face.

"Do you have your key?" he asked.

"Yes," Bella took it out from her purse.

He hesitated a fraction of a second. "Goodnight, Bella." He moved towards his own door.

"Goodnight, Edward," she murmured, and entered her room alone. Strangely missing him more than ever.


	6. Chapter 6

Bella didn't sleep well that night. And it was ironic because the reason was that the mattress was too soft. She was awakened from her restless sleep by a knock on the door. She stumbled groggily across the room to the door to answer it.

"Who is it?" she asked, leaning tiredly against the door, her hand resting on the locked night latch.

"Edward," was the answer. "Are you ready for breakfast?"

Bella groaned. I couldn't be possibly morning already.

"Are you alright?" his tone was low and piercing.

"Fine," she mumbled, and silently adding, "I just need some sleep."

The doorknob rattled as he attempted to open it. "Open the door, Bella." He ordered.

She was too exhausted to think of a reason to refuse and too tired to argue if she had. Slipping off the night chain, she unlocked the latch and stepped aside as Edward pushed the door open. Concern was written all over his face, but she didn't notice.

"I don't want breakfast." Bella had already turned, making her way back to the bed. "You go ahead without me."

Edward's arm went around her to turn her back. He pushed the tangle of brown hair behind her ear and held it there, his hand cupping the side of her head and tipping it up. His strength was a wonderful thing and Bella willingly let him support her weight, too weary to be standing on her own.

"You okay Love? You look exhausted." Edward was frowning.

"I am." She sighed. "My perfectly soft bed was too soft. I barely slept all night."

He couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Why didn't you take a pillow and blanket off the bed and sleep on the floor? Or is that too uncivilized for you?" he mocked in a gentle teasing voice.

"I suppose that's what you did?" Bella lifted her tired lashes to glance at him. He looked disgustingly refreshed and rested.

"That's right." He nodded.

"And probably slept like a baby," she added enviously.

"No, I didn't sleep all that well," Edward denied.

"Why not?" Bella slid her arms around his hard, warm body and rested her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes.

"I haven't liked sleeping alone since I met you." His statement sailed over her sleepy head. Bella was only aware of how very right it seemed in his arms, so comfortable and so warm. She snuggled closer.

"Why don't you just hold me for a while and let me sleep?" she suggested in a sleepy murmur.

"I don't think so." The arm that had been around her withdrew to press a hand against her ribs just below her breast to push her away. "If I hold you much longer, I won't be thinking about sleep." Edward stated, a half-smile curving one corner of his mouth. "Why don't you go take a shower and change? I'll go get some coffee to help you wake up before we go to breakfast." He stoked her hair and smiled to convince her.

"Okay." Bella couldn't say no to those eyes. And before she knew it, he was walking to the door, leaving her swaying there unsteadily. The closing of the door prompted her into movement. She looked longingly at the bed, but knew it was no use. Even if she could go back to sleep, which was unlikely, Edward would be back shortly to wake her. Following his suggestion, she walked to the bathroom.

After having their breakfast, Edward and Bella started out on a leisurely tour of the island, dotted with fresh beaches. It was not the first visit for either of them, but it had been years since their last. There were little changes on the island. A few more trees had been planted by property owners that Dr. Cullen rented parts of land to.

On the shore, Edward parked the car on the side of the board walk. The salty breeze off the ocean was cool. Bella zipped the blue windbreaker up to her neck while Edward locked the car. Screeching seagulls soared overhead as they walked together to the steep path leading down to the beach.

A fisherman stood knee-deep in the surf, casting a fly line into the water. He nodded a friendly acknowledgement to them as they strolled by. Edward's arm was around Bella's shoulders, keeping her close to his side. She stepped over a piece of driftwood and turned her gaze up to his face. His features were relaxed with a look of contentment about them.

"Why are we getting along so well?" she mused, more to herself than him.

"Maybe because we stopped looking at each other," Edward suggested.

"What?" A confused frown creased her forehead, bewilderment in her curious brown eyes.

"Yeah," A faint smile touched his moth when he glanced at her, then he directed his gaze ahead of them, a contemplative look on his features. "I mean, we've stopped trying to see the flaws in each other, the differences. We've started looking outward together."

"You think?" Bella too shifted her gaze to the beach in front of them.

"Why bother to analyze the reason?" he countered. "Why not just enjoy it?" he gave her light squeeze.

"You're right." She scraped some sand with her foot. "Except that I like to know the why of things."

"So I remember," Edward murmured dryly. "Like the time I gave you your engagement ring and you wanted to know what made me decide to propose to you."

Bella laughed. "And you said it was because I would make a very beautiful ornament in your house." The laughter died as she gave him a guarded look. "Is that really why you proposed?"

There was a glint of exasperation in his impatient glance. "You should know me better than that, Bella." He flashed her a quick smile.

She was silent for several paces before Edward spoke. "How did we get started on such a serious discussion?"

His lightning switch from a thoughtful mood to one that was lightly teasing was infectious. Bella responded immediately. "I don't know. You started it."

"No, I didn't. You did." He corrected in the same light tone, "When you asked why we weren't arguing."

"You didn't have to answer me, so it's your fault," she shrugged.

"Logic like that can only come from a woman," Edward declared, shaking his head in amusement.

Bella gave him a sideways push with her shoulder. Knocked off balance, his arm slipped from around her, and he had to take a step to one side to recover. Their aimless pace had taken them closer to the water's edge that they realized, and so when Edward took that step, his foot landed in salt water, shoe, sock and jeans. Bella gasped in a laugh at the wet foot.

"You think it's funny, huh?" he took a playfully threatening step towards her.

Unconsciously she began to retreat. "I'm sorry, Edward." She was trying hard not to laugh, but it bubbled in her voice. "Really, I didn't mean to push you in the water."

Edward continued his approach on her. "Let's see if it's so funny when you get wet."

"Edward, no!" Bella kept backing up, swallowing the laughter as she held her palms up and shook her head.

But the wicked glint in his eyes told her that her words were no use. Turning, she ran, sprinting for the rocks, a safer distance from the ocean waves. Edward chased after her, his long strides eating up her short lead. Any moment he would overtake her, Bella knew and she took a laughing glance over her shoulder. As she did so, a piece of driftwood tripped her and sent her sprawling on to the beach. Her outstretched arms broke most of her fall. Unharmed, she rolled on to her back, breathing ruggedly, but still giggling, as Edward dropped to his knees beside her.

"You okay?" he asked, half smiling and half concerned.

"Fine." She managed to gasp.

Sitting on his heels, Edward watched silently as she caught her breath. But as her breathing slowed, her heartbeat seemed to increase. An exciting tension was building between then, running over the ends of her nerves. Edward moved forward as if to help her to her feet, but as he moved closer, arms bracing him above her, her lips parted, glistening moistly. Bella lifted her hands to his chest as if to push him away, but instead they slip around his neck, pulling him down.

Fire ignited at the hard pressure of his mouth, hungry and demanding. It spread through her veins, her bones melting under the intense heat. The weight of his body crushed her to the sand. No part of her was immune to the fire Edward was fully arousing. Stumbling under the burning assault of his desire, she knew she had lost control. But she made no attempt to regain it, willing to let his lips dominate hers, his tongue dance with hers for as long as he chose. With each breath, she took in his scent, a fuel to the fire that consumed her. Never had Bella felt so alive. Every corner of her heart was filled, in fact overflowing, with love. Any differences between them were burned away by the fiery embrace that exceeded physical connection.

"Hey, mister?" A child's voice sounded when previously she had only been able to hear their matching heartbeats. "Hey, mister!" This time, the voice was more insistent and Edward reluctantly dragged his mouth from hers to roll on to his side. "Have you seen my puppy?" A young boy of about six years old stood beside them, a baseball cap on his light brown head, staring at them innocently.

"No, buddy, I haven't." His reply was tight and brief to hide the raggedness of his breathing.

"He's white and black with a red collar," the boy explained.

"Sorry, but we haven't seen him," Edward repeated patiently.

"If you do, would you bring him back to me?"

"Sure."

"Thanks." And he trotted off.

Edward stared in the direction the boy had taken. "A few more seconds and it would have been embarrassing," he remarked, chuckling. "Come on." Standing to his feet, he caught Bella's hand to pull her along with him.

"Where are we going?" There was a faint pink to her cheeks.

"Back to the house."

"Why?"

"You're forgetting." He accused, giving her a look that still had the smoldering light of desire, "I have a wet shoe, sock and pants leg."

"I'm sorry about that," Bella offered with an apologetic smile.

"I'm not." His finger touched her lips, tracing its outline, warm and still throbbing from his kiss. "If that's what I get for getting wet, I can't help wondering what would happen if I'd been drenched from head to toe." She breathed in sharply at that, she wanted to tell him that he didn't have to wait to find out, but she simply couldn't say it. Edward didn't wait for her to respond, removing his fingers from her lips to encircle her hand. "Let's go?" Bella nodded her agreement.

The passionate moment lay between them on their way to the hotel, the obvious change it made on them were left unspoken. But it was there in the looks they exchanged, in the things they didn't say and in the way they avoided physical contact with each other. They each seemed to know how the slightest touch would do, and they were not ready to start a false fire. But neither of them was willing to acknowledge the change in the relationship. At the same time, they couldn't go back to the cold casualty that they had before the visit to the island. And so, they both played a waiting game.

After having a late lunch at the local restaurant, they entered the house. Edward stopped short and turned to Bella. "We're going home," he announced.

"It's only Saturday," she protested.

"I know," he agreed, "but I'm not looking forwards to spending another night here."

Bella hesitated, trying to figure out what he was up to. Finally she answered, "The beds aren't very comfortable."

He chuckled, "Yes, they're too soft."

"Do we have time to get the plane?"

"If we pack now and not waste too much time, yes." He told her.

"Okay."

"I'll call the pilot. You go start packing," said Edward.

During the plane ride, neither mentioned their sudden change of plans that had them returning home early. They talked around it, unwilling to dig too deeply into the reason. When the plane landed, they stopped talking altogether, both absorbed in their own musings. It was several moments before Bella noticed that Edward missed a corner.

"You were supposed to turn at that last block," she reminded him.

"We aren't going back to the house just yet," he replied.

Bella waited for him to tell her where they were going. When he didn't, she asked, "Where are we going?"

"There's something I want to show you," was all he answered.

After several more blocks, he turned on to a tree-shaded street, branches arching overhead, nearly touching. He slowed the car down, seeming to read the house numbers as he drove down the street. Bella's curiosity grew with each second of his continued silence. Finally he turned into a driveway and stopped the car, switching off the engine. Bella glanced at the large white house, surrounded by a green lawn with lots of trees and flowering shrubs. She didn't recognize the place.

"Who lives here?" she asked.

Edward opened his car door and was already stepping out. "You'll see." He replied, smiling a bit.

She flashed him a confused look as she too stepped out of the car and closed the car door. She said nothing and walked ahead of him along the winding sidewalk to the front door. There was a jingle of mental behind her and she turned. Edward was taking a set of keys from his pocket. Selecting one, he stepped ahead of her and inserted it in the front door lock. Suspicion glittered in her eyes.

Pushing the door open, he motioned to her. "Go on in."

Her gaze went to the opened door as she moved forward to enter. On her right, carved oak posts ran from floor to ceiling to partition the mock entryway from the spacious living room. Although the room was lightly furnished, the items that were there Bella recognized as the furniture stored from their apartment.

"What is this, Edward?" Unable to look at him, because she thought she already knew the answer.

"Do you like it?" Edward ignored her question to ask one of his own.

Bella had a troubled look on her face, uncertainty and confusion filling her head. When she didn't answer, Edward spoke. "I didn't sign any papers to buy this house yet. I got the permission of the owner to have our furniture brought in to see how it would fit in the rooms and to give the interior designer an idea of what has to be done." He paused, taking hold of her elbow and turning her to face him. "I wanted to ask your opinion first." There was no response. "I thought it was time to start looking for a place that we could share together."

His gaze was piercing, as if searching her eyes for the answer. She averted her attention to the room, uncertain if she was ready for this just yet.

"Am I wrong, Bella?" Edward asked.

She didn't want to answer that question, not yet, not until she had more time to think about it. She wanted to be sure before she gave her answer.

"Show me the rest of the house." She said.

Edward hesitated, wanting to get the answer to his question, then gestured with his hand. "The dining room and kitchen are this way," he directed.

As Bella toured the house, she realized it was everything they had ever talked about in a home of their own. Spacious without being too large, enough room for entertainment, a study for Edward where he could work undisturbed in the evenings, a large patio in the back, and plenty of closets.

"Since you're working, we could hire a housekeeper to come in to do the housework," Edward explained with a bit of uncertainty as they walked down the hallway from the master bedroom to the main living area of the house. Bella nodded, absentmindedly agreeing. At the open doorway of one of the two empty rooms, she paused to look inside again. The spare bedrooms were smaller than the master bedroom, but still sufficiently large.

"There's one more thing I haven't asked you." Edward stopped beside her.

"What's that?" she turned to meet his gaze.

"How do you feel about having children?"

Slightly flustered, Bella looked back to the empty room, visualizing it not as a guest bedroom, but as a children's room. "We've talked about it before." They had talked of having two children, possibly three, she remembered.

"That was before," Edward pointed out, "I'm asking you about now, Bella."

He seemed to silently demand that she look at him. Reluctantly she let her gaze swing back to him, but she was unable to look any higher than his mouth. There were no soft curves to it. It was strong and firm and very masculine. Bella had the urge to raise her fingertips to it and trace the strength of its outline.

"I would like to have children, yes." Her reply was soft, almost inaudible.

"Do you have any objections to me being their father?" There was a husky quality to his voice.

Bella looked away, her heart pulsing unevenly. She didn't respond. She couldn't seem to speak. Something seemed to be blocking her voice.

"Do you?" Edward repeated. When she remained silent, his fingers turned her chin to force her to look at him. "Did I have it wrong this morning on the beach?" His steady gaze didn't falter as he looked deeply into her eyes, seeming to bore into her very soul. "Was it just a moment of weakness from you?"

"I don't know." Bella wanted to look away, but she couldn't. Her mind was reeling from his touch, incapable to coherent thought. "I…I can't think."

"Just this once, don't think," Edward requested. "Just tell me what you're feeling."

His hands slipped to her shoulders, tightening a little for a second as if he wanted to shake the answer out of her, but they relaxed and simply held her. Bella stared into his chiseled features, slightly tanned, and those compelling green eyes. This was Edward, her husband, the man she loved, and not the stranger she had thought him to be.

She swayed towards him and he gathered her into his arms, prepared to meet her more than half way. Her lips parted under the aggressive force of his mouth, taking prize she readily surrendered to him. Her soft curves molded itself to the hard contours of his length. His roaming hands caressed and shaped her closer to his body. Their combined body heat melted them together, fusing them with the burning fire of their love. His driving male need made Bella aware of the empty aching in the pit of her stomach that only he could satisfy.

Soon, the torrid embrace was not enough. It was unable to meet the greedy needs of their desires. Bending slightly, Edward curved an arm under her knees to lift her and carry her to the master bedroom and the bare mattress of their old queen-sized bed.

As he laid her on the bed, the twining arms around his neck pulled him down to join her. Nothing else existed for either of them but each other, not the past, not the future, only the moment, eternally suspended in time.

The initial storm of their passion was quickly spent. When Edward came to her the second time, their love-making was slow and languorous. Each touch, each kiss, each intimate caress was enjoyed and prolonged, savored and cherished.

Their passion spent, Edward kissed her lashes, her cheeks, gently adoringly. He curved her to his side, locking his arms around her. Bella sighed in heavenly content and snuggled closer, not wanting to move, never wanting to move. She belonged here, in Edward's arms, she would always belong here.


	7. Chapter 7

Edward stroked her hair, absently trailing his fingers through the silken ends, watching the darkness of its color glisten in the light. Her eyes were closed in absolute contentment.

"Would you say it now, Love?" he asked in a huskily caressing voice.

"Say what?" she questioned in equal softness, not quite sure if words could express anything close to what she was feeling.

"Welcome home, Edward," he supplied the words.

Tipping her head back, she opened her eyes and looked up to his face, love bringing an amazing glow to her beautifil brown eyes. "Welcome home, Edward." She repeated the words. Her voice trembled with the depth of her meaning. A strangled moan came from his throat, as if a long tormented journey had finally ended. He lifted her the few inches necessary to plant a hard, possessive kiss on her lips. Then his trembling fingers moved over her lips as if to apologize for hurting them.

"I've been waiting so long to hear that." His voice muffled as he buried his face on the side of her neck. "But now, it doesn't seem that important anymore."

"The day you returned and I saw you standing there in the house, I thought it was someone's idea of a joke." Bella confessed.

Edward shook his head. "I should have made more effort to get hold of you or have the authorities reach you before I came back." He paused, tracing her jaw line with his thumb. "I knew it would be a shock. Jacob tried to convince me to let him break the news to you, but I didn't listen."

"It wasn't just shock," she explained. "It was guilt, because I was engaged to Jacob. And then there you were, my husband. I wanted to run to you, but I couldn't. Then suddenly, you seemed so different – someone I didn't know." Bella sighed.

"I didn't want to admit that I changed, that we've changed," he murmured with a rueful smile. "I guess I just wanted everything to be the way it was."

"But, things might have been different if I hadn't been engaged to Jacob." Bella turned to rest her head on his chest and listen to the strong rhythm of his heartbeat.

"It might have made us less wary of each other, but we would still have to adjust to the changes that happened to us," he insisted.

"Yes, but Jacob – " Bella started to argue.

"Was never a threat to our relationship," Edward interrupted, his voice firm, sure and cocky.

Bella relaxed, realizing that he was right. Smiling, she slid her hand over the flat of his muscular stomach. "But weren't you just a little bit jealous of Jacob?" The question was half teasing and half serious.

"No, I was never jealous of him," he chuckled, his hand absently continuing its previous task of playing with her hair.

"Never?" Bella feigned disappointment.

Edward sighed in defeat. "Okay, I admit. There were times when I was envious of him."

"Why?"

"Because you were so natural with him, so warm and friendly, trusting him and turning to him when you needed help. I wanted it to be me," he explained. "I was jealous of Jacob because you looked to him for security and not me."

"I feel very secured now." Bella hugged up to him. Then she moved up and planted a soft kiss on his lips. "I love you Edward. I never stopped."

"That's what I really wanted to hear," his arms tightened around her, almost crushing her ribs. "Welcome home was just a substituted for I love you."

"I love you." she repeated. "You don't have to ask me to say it. I'll keep saying it until your ears fall off." She laughed.

He rolled, pinning her to the bed under his weight. He looked into her eyes. "I missed you." he said, voice wavering with emotion. Then he dipped his head and kissed her, long and passionate. When they stopped for air, there was a long silence. They reveled inwardly at the rediscovery of their love, holding each other.

"I hate to bring up something so mundane," Bella whispered, "but where are we going to sleep tonight?"

"I don't even want to go to sleep," Edward said, teasing her.

"Aren't you tired?" Her sleepless night of the very soft mattress was beginning to catch up on her. And the dreamy contentment of his embrace was lulling her further into sleepiness.

"Exhausted," he admitted with a smile in his voice. "But I'm afraid if I go to sleep, I'll wake up and find that none of this has happened. Or worse, that I'm still in Africa."

"If you are, I'm going to be there with you," she declared, and poked a finger in his chest. Edward chuckled and kissed her hair.

"Are we going back to the house tonight?"

"Not if the storage boxes in the garage have blankets in them. Do they?" he questioned.

"Did you take everything that I had in storage?"

"Every single thing," he confirmed.

"Then there are blankets in one of those boxes," she promised.

"Is that what you want to do, Bella? Stay here?"

"If you want to. I can go get the blankets." Bella started to move but Edward held her still.

"You know what I'm really asking."

"The house?" Bella guessed, propping herself up on an elbow beside him.

Edward nodded. "Do you like it?"

"Yes. I love it," she smiled. "It's everything we ever said we wanted in a house."

"Good. That's what I thought too. Monday morning I'll have the agent draw the papers we have to sign. As for now, I don't think he'll mind if we start unpacking the boxes in the garage."

"What if he sells it to someone else?"

"He won't. I put earnest money down to hold it until you saw it."

"Were you so positive I'd like it?"

"As positive as I was that you're still madly in love with me," Edward answered smiling in full confidence.

"Oh get over yourself already!" Bella teased, slapping him lightly on the chest. "It would serve you right if I didn't like it."

"But you do. And now you can take over the decorating of it."

"It might end up looking like a hotel," she warned.

"It better not," he laughed, and pulled her into his arms.

**(A few months later)**

Snow fell endlessly from the pearl-grey sky and snowflakes had started to build up on the other side of her office window. A serenely joyful light was in Bella's eyes as she smiled against the telephone she held to her ear.

"Thank you," she said, "Merry Christmas."

Hanging up, she turned her attention to the papers on her desk, absently humming along the Christmas carols coming from somebody's computer speakers somewhere down the hall. The inter-office line buzzed and she picked up the telephone again. She had barely said 'hello' when Edward's crisp voice came, "I want you in my office, now."

"What's this about?" Bella questioned, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"We'll talk about it when you get here."

An eyebrow arched at his sharpness. "Okay," Bella agreed calmly, "Give me a few minutes."

"I said now," he snapped.

"You're forgetting, it takes fifteen minutes to walk from here to your office," she reminded him dryly.

"Now, Bella!" And then he hung up.

Breathing in deeply, Bella stared at the dead phone before finally putting it back on its cradle. She took a few more seconds putting her desk into some kind of order, then walked out into the corridor, closing her office door as she left. Fifteen minutes had definitely been an exaggeration. Eight minutes later, Jessica glanced up from her computer screen and motioned her into Edward's office with a greeting wave of her hand. Bella knocked twice on the connecting door before opening it and walked in.

Edward sat behind his desk, leaning back in his chair when Bella entered. His blunt male features were drawn into harsh cold lines, matching the temperature outside. Anger blazed in his eyes and Bella had no idea why.

"You wanted to see me, Edward?" she walked to his desk, smiling warmly at him, but it didn't soften his expression. "What is it?" she asked, clearly puzzled by his behavior.

"What's this?" He reached forward to shove a paper across his desk towards her, his hard and watchful gaze never leaving her face for an instant. "What's this all about?"

Bella reached for the paper and scanned over it. "This is the revised budget request," she frowned as she recognized it. "Where did you get it?"

"From Jacob," Edward snapped.

Her mouth became a straight line of grim frustration. "He wasn't supposed to give it to you. I wanted to go over it with you myself when I submitted it."

"He didn't give it to me, I took it. And you can go over it with me now," he ordered. "This is the – what – third or fourth budget revision?"

"The third." Bella was trying her best to stay calm and not match his biting tone. "And if you'd told me why you wanted to speak to me, I could have brought some supporting papers."

"I don't need supporting papers, I want an explanation. Why the increase this time? And don't tell me its inflation."

"It's a lot of things," she began. "We had to change advertising agencies for the campaign because the first one wasn't able to carry on because of some internal problems. That meant an increase in the cost."

"You should have checked more carefully into the first company," he rebuked.

"I did. Their difficulties came after we'd signed the contract with them," she replied sharply to his criticism.

He didn't look like he believed her, but he didn't pursue the topic. "What else?"

"We had to revise the cost figures on equipment Seattle General received. The – "

"I knew it," he declared through clenched teeth. "The equipment costs for Seattle Gen. increased every time you submitted a budget. Are you giving the department equipment or the whole hospital?"

The slow-burning fuse of her temper was finally lit. "Sometimes I'm not so sure myself," she snapped back. "Have you seen the hospitals in California? We gave more to them to establish a new wing. It needs a whole new façade."

"Why don't you just have it torn down and build a new one?" he flashed.

"That's the best suggestion I've heard!" she retorted. "Why don't you bring that up to the expansion department?"

"At the rate you're going, it might be the most logical decision!" With controlled anger, Edward pushed out of his chair, standing behind desk and looked at her. "You –"

"Enough!" Bella held one hand up, glaring at him. "You have to st –" She stopped mid-sentence as she suddenly felt nauseous. Her knees buckled, as the floor seemed to move. She stepped forward, grabbing unto the desk to steady herself. In an instant, Edward was there beside her, he held her shoulders, keeping her still. She reached a hand to wipe the cold sweat on her forehead.

"Bella?" Edward asked, their previous argument completely forgotten. His cold accusing gaze was replaced by panic and concern. Bella didn't answer. She closed her eyes and willed the room to stop spinning. "Bella?" he asked again. He reached to tuck her hair behind her ear and cupped her face. "Love?" He asked yet again, concern evident in his voice.

She slowly opened her eyes and focused on his face. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"I...I suddenly felt dizzy." She supplied.

"Okay." He nodded; taking hold her arms and guided her towards the couch. "You should sit." Once she was settled on the couch, he moved to get her a glass of water. He placed a comforting hand on her back as she drank. "That's three times this week." He stated frowning. "I don't think it's because you're tired from work anymore. Maybe we should go see a doctor."

"No," she shook her head weakly.

"No?" he questioned.

"No." she confirmed, turning her head to look at him. "I…I already went."

"To the doctor?" He raised his eyebrows, only to furrow back in confusion. "When?"

"Yes." She replied, lowering her chin, still angry and hurt by his previous attack. "Yesterday afternoon. You were in a meeting." She paused. "We're having a baby."

In the next second, his hands were on her shoulders to gently turn her towards him. "Are you sure?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, I'm sure." She nodded. "Doctor Brandon called a few minutes ago to confirm the test results."

"Why didn't you tell me?" his tension was exhaled with the question.

"How could I when you've been yelling at me for the past five minutes?" Her eyes flared open to glare at him.

His fingers lightly touched her cheek before he cupped it in his hand. "I was, wasn't I?" There was a sheepish quirk to his mouth.

"Yes, you were." But her statement didn't carry any sting of anger.

Edward let out a sigh, raking one hand through his hair. He didn't know what had gotten into him. "I'm sorry. I lost my perspective for a moment, the order of importance. I could lose everything and it wouldn't matter as long as I didn't lose you." The glow radiating from his face was warm and powerful and Bella basked in the love light. That peaceful happiness she had known before their argument returned with doubled strength.

"No, it doesn't matter as long as I have you," she agreed and turned her lips into his hand to press a kiss in his open palm. His head lowered, his mouth claiming her in a sweetly fierce kiss that rocked her senses. She clung to him, reveling in the possessive embrace that gathered her close to him. Warmth raced through her veins, filling her body with love and pleasure.

She was breathless when the kiss ended, and the sensation remained as Edward buried his face in her hair, his mouth trailing a blazing fire to the sensitive skin of her neck. She felt the tremors vibrating through his muscular form and she knew she disturbed him as sensually as he disturbed her. When he finally lifted his head, there was a disarmingly dazzling smile on his face. His hands moved to tangle his fingers in her hair and hold her face up to for his gaze to explore. Bella knew this was a moment she would treasure in her heart forever.

"We're really going to have a baby?" There was a faintly marveling look in his eyes as Edward turned the statement into a near question.

"Yes," Bella nodded.

"Are you alright?" he frowned.

"I'm fine," she smiled.

"I'm sorry." He apologized again.

"Apology accepted." She smiled.

"Okay." He kissed her lightly and gazed into her eyes. "When's the baby due?"

"July."

"The new campaign will be in full swing by then. I can already see you directing operations from the maternity ward." Edward chuckled. Bella laughed, as she playfully slapped his chest.

"You should be glad that I'm your boss," He added with an arrogant smile. "A boss that's understanding and will let you set your own hours or work at home, if that's more convenient?"

"I guess I'm very lucky," she slid her arms around his neck, her fingers playing with his hair. "Lucky in more than one way."

"I love you, Bella" Edward spoke her name in an aching murmur against her lips as he lowered her to the couch.

**The End**

**A/N: And so it's finished. I hope you guys liked it. Now and Epilogue is up to all of you. So let me know if you want one. I guess that's it guy's. I do have another story in mind I might do. Read and Review please. Thanks for all the love!**


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